Abstract : The report discusses the assessment of handling quality characteristics Since handling qualities deal with the teamed product, both elements -- pilot and airplane -- must be represented in order to assess handling qualities. One cannot simply examine the time history of the response of an airplane to a particular control input and assess, in an intuitive engineering sense, whether such a response will be good or bad when employed by a pilot in a mission. Rather, it is necessary to examine the suitability of the pilot-airplane combination for accomplishing the mission. Some of the important factors which affect the quality or applicability of pilot assessment of the handling qualities of airborne vehicles are discussed. (Author)